Portable exhibitor



March 1965 w. P. GELBERG ETAL 3,174,529

PORTABLE EXHIBITOR 5 Sheets-Sheet 1 Filed April 11, 1963 INVENTORS WILL/AM I? GELEERG RICHARD J. BOTT/ BY M05 w March 23, 1965 w. P. GELBERG ETAL 3,174,529

PORTABLE EXHIBITOR 3 Sheets-Sheet 2 Filed April 11, 1965 INVENTORS WILLIAM R GELBERG RICHARD J BOT'T/ BY M w A ORNEY March 23, 1965 w. P. GELBERG ETAL 3,174,629

PORTABLE EXHIBITOR Filed April 11, 1963 3 Sheets-Sheet 5 as INVENTORS WILL/AM R GELBEQG RICHARD J. BOTT/ ATTORNEY United States Patent 3,174,629 PORTABLE llfliilll'lfill William P. Gelberg, Washington, D11, and Richard Ii.

Betti, Rockville, Md, assignors to Porta-Zihit Manufacturing Company, Washington, D.C., a joint venture of Lorann (Zorporation, a corporation of Maryland, and Andrea Corporation, Washington, D.C., a corporation of the District of (Iolurnhia Filed Apr. 11, 1963, Ser. No. 272,488 13 Claims. (til. 211-178) This invention relates to a knock-down type of advertising or educational display device including display elements disposable in a carrying case, the case being adapted both to house and to rigidly support for display various signs, charts, dispensing cups for pamphlets, and exhibits in a readily viewable manner and with optimum quick and handy assembly, strength, ruggedness and flexibility.

A particular object is to provide a light weight carrying case of rigid structural material such as aluminum, plastic or the like, having thin sheet paneling sides and walls deformed with deep grooves on both surfaces, which are useful for reenforcement to impart much enhanced structural rigidity and strength to the carrying case and also serve to secure the display assembly to supporting legs and to cooperate with display elements per se.

it is a further object to provide display elements which are mountable for support to the carrying case and which may be assembled from small carrying case housable elements to a large area sign, photographic screen or the like, such display elements being easily and flexibly assembled and disassembled for exhibiting, including readily mountable leg supports and braces therefor.

The invention is further described with reference to the drawings which illustrate the several improved features hereof in which:

FIG. 1 shows an assembled unit erected for display in perspective;

FIG. 2 shows a portion of the back of the vertical display as it is mounted to the carrying case;

FIG. 3 illustrates the several disassembled unitsexhibitors, side panels, carrying case, legs and leg brackets in their relative positions in which they are ultimately assembled;

FIG. 4 is a detail of a hinge showing a manner in which the exhibitor panels are mounted to the tubular supports or braces;

PEG. 5 illustrates a detail of a bracket showing the manner of securing exhibitor panels to the tubular braces;

FIG. 6 illustrates a modification having large knockdown side wings;

FIG. 7 is a detail of the side wings per so according to the modification of FIG. 6;

FIG. 8 is a detail illustrating an adaptor for clamping the upper exhibitor panel;

FIG. 9 is an enlarged detailed section of the bracing of tube support;

FIG. 10 is a detail illustrating a modified type of bracket in position for assembly;

FIG. 11 is the assembled bracket of FIG. 10;

FIG. 12 is a section through the bracket in plan taken on the line 12-12 of FIG. 11;

FIG. 13 is a perspective view of a caddie;

FIG. 14 is a detail of the caddie illustrating its manner of assembly; and FIG. 15 is a foldable caddie cart.

Referring to FIGS. 1 through 3, a carrying case 10 is formed of light metal such as aluminum or strong thin plastic and has an upper half surface panel and side walls 12, and lower half panel and side walls 13, which are secured together by hinge 14- at the front end (FIG. 1) and by locks 16 at the rear (FIG. 2). A handle member 3,l?4,h2 Patented Mar. 23, 1965 18 is provided at the rear for convenient carrying of the case 10 in exhibit knock-down form. Both upper and lower panel surfaces 20 and 22 are indented with deep grooves or corrugations 48 for reenforcement in several directions to impart stiffening and rigidity to each large panel surface. These grooves, indentations and corrugations 24, 46 (and 48 are of various shapes and depths to serve a further function for support of the assembly or exhibiting elements in use.

Thus, in the lower panel surface 22 (FIG. 3) diagonally crossing grooves 24 are indented, each to receive an upper horizontal arm of one of the leg support members 26 land 23. A depressed or flattened portion 30 and 32 is provided at the center of each horizontal arm to allow nesting, housing and securement of both legs in the depressed grooves 24 of the bottom panel 22. A hole 34 is bored through the bottom panel 22 and a corresponding hole 35 and 36 through each of the arms for receiving a bolt 38 mounted from the inside of the carrying case 10 and passing through the holes 34, 3S and 36 in the panel and each of the leg members for quick securement of the legs for support of the carrying case Ill by fastening a wing nut 40. In assembled position, the four tubular legs 42 as approximately vertically bent portions of each tubular support 26 and 28 support the carrying case ll} securely in horizontal position as a table, as shown in FIGS. 1 and 6, with the upper horizontal arm portions nesting within the grooves 24 in the bottom of the carrying case as shown in FIG. 3.

The several deep grooves or indentations 46 and 43,

v in the upper panel surface 20 of the carrying case, running parallel to each other along the length of the case, from side to side, serve to reenforce the large upper panel surface 20, bracing it against twisting, and also provide by the deep indentations longitudinal slots or grooves in which exhibiting elements such as posters, cards or handbills can be mounted. For this purpose the three forwardmost grooves preferably descend progressively deeper in depth from the rearmost indented portion or groove 46, still deeper at the intermediate groove, :and the deepest near the forward end, to allow mounting of exhibiting elements one above the other for unobstructed view. This arrangement of grooves also allows dispensing of literature or papers set in the various levels of the panel grooves. Such grooves may also support lighting elements or the like that might be used by an exhibitor, illuminating the vertical back board of the device, for instance as a blackboard or vertical surface upon which writing or printing may be placed for display. Moreover, the far edge of the carrying case 10 may also have a groove 48 disposed slightly inward thereof in the upper panel 20 for reenforcement of that area, as shown in FIG. 2.

In a modification as shown in FIG. 6 the groove 48 near the forward edge of the case in exhibiting position can house an illuminating device such as a fluorescent tube 49, the groove 48 being deep enough to shade forward light rays emanating therefrom and directing the illumination to the rear upon rear exhibitor panels.

The main exhibitor panel elements 50 comprise lower vertical tubes 52 which are rigidly fastened as by brackets 54 to a central exhibitor panel 56, the assembly being sized to fit within the carrying case 10 in disassembled carrying position. The panel 56 terminates short of the ends 68 of the tubes 52 which extend below the panel to provide a support portion for securing the panel into the exhibitor assembly. For this purpose the lower ends of the tubes are fitted by insertion, each within a hole 53 bored within the top panel 20 (FIG. 2), the lower ends 60 of the tubes 52 passing into the carrying case it) through a hole 58, each nesting over and retained by a boss or protuberance or dimple 62 pressed upward from the lower panel surface 22 for purposes of retaining and securing each open end 60 of the tube 52 in raised exhibiting position (FIG. 3). In that manner the entire panel assembly 56 and tubes 52 are rigidly supported in vertical position from a point near the rear edge of the carrying case 18 by the protruding ends of the tube 52 extending into the holes 58 and being anchored therein upon bosses 62.

The upper ends of the tubes 52 are open and may have fitted therein the continuing reduced diameter ends 53 of support tubes 55, which support between them, a second or upper panel 64. The lower ends 53 of tubes 55 are each compressed to a slightly smaller diameter with respect to the tube 55 so as to frictionally fit within an open upper end of a tube 52, in a bayonet type or frictionfitting joint. Each lower support tube 52, by way of the interfitting portion 53 supports, as a continuous tube or pipe, an upper tubular support 55, each pair of tubes 55 having a panel 64 mounted therebetween by brackets 54 (FIGS. 4 and 5). However, it is sometimes preferred to mount an upper diagonal panel 66 at the top. That panel 66 may have many uses. For instance, it may merely bear a title or trade name identifying the exhibit marked upon the panel surface portion 66 and for this purpose it is slidably secured within a U-type frame 68, the open U portion being sized to snugly but slidably receive the panel portion 66 and support the same as a comparatively rigid framing element. The total panel 66 and frame assembly 68 is supported at each lower side by a bent rod type of bracket 70, sized and bent to be received for support within the top of open tube 55. For purposes of securely supporting the same, a small adaptor element-72, as shown in FIG. 8, may be provided, whose upper end 74 is completely closed by a disked cap element continuing and rounded into springlike depending fingers 76 arranged annularly into a side wall, each finger 76 of which bears frictionally against the inner wall portion of tube 55 for secure support. The top disked cap portion 74 is centrally bored at 77 to receive the'bent rod 70 for frictional sliding support therein.

In alternate construction, it is often useful to modify the paneling element 66 within the frame 68 to support a flexible screen or blackboard element 78 mounted upon a roller 80, which is firmly secured to the frame 68. The screen or blackboard element 78 thus may be raised or lowered as a blind or movie screen or exhibitable chart,

extendable from the roller 88 covering the front of the vertical panels 64 and 56, the screen being raised or lowered as needed for the purpose; Thus the flexible element may be used as a movie screen upon which a moving picture may be projected, or as a chart exhibitor usefully printing matter thereon, and may be distended for 'view or caused to be taken up and stored upon roller 80 as in conventional construction for such screening element. Alternatively, or in combination therewith, a

fluorescent light 82 may be mounted and supported between the arms of the framing element 68 for illumination of the matter exhibited either upon paneling 64 and 56, or for illumination of the screen or chart element 78 if the latter is used; and such fluorescent lamp 82 may be used instead'of the fluorescent light 49,'or the exhibitor may be illuminated by both or either light source as desired.

The panel element 66, while it may be similar to that of panels 56 and 64, and used to support indicia, sign letters or exhibited matter, may be merely a bright shiny surface such as a reflecting mirror to provide decoration or reflection as desired, or the panel 66 may be removed entirely from the assembled exhibitor while the latter is used without it.

It is also desirable sometimes, for optimum exhibitor effect and to provide larger exhibitor, to mount'side panels 84 as additional exhibiting panels. These may be supported for ready removal by bracket pins 86 whose down-turned prongs may be each fitted within an open angle portion of an upper and lower bracket 54 as a 4 hinge pin, as shown in FIG. 4. For instance, as shown in FIGS. 4 and 5, the bracket 54 may be a short section of an ordinary angle iron, fastened to a tubular support 52 or 55 and shaped to leave an open space 57 'in the angle corner into which the down-turned prong of the bracket pin 86 is inserted as a hinge pin for hinged support of the side panel 84. Each bracket pin 86 generally is fastened to a framing member 87 surrounding the panel 84. Two or more of the hinge pins 86 are supplied thus fixed to a framing side 87 and the prongs fit respectively into upper and lower brackets 54, the brackets 54 being desirably spaced in vertical alignment to' receive these pins and thus allow hinged horizontal movement of the vertically supported panels 84 to either side of the panels 56 and 64.

In an alternate type of bracketing construction shown in FIGS, 10 and 11, the tube 52 (or 55) has a bracket 51 fastened to a frame side member 59, framing the edge of a panel 56 (or 64). The bracket 51 is a short section angle iron 61, similar to angle bracket 54, but it has the vertical side bent to a flat surface 63 fastened to the frame 59, as by rivets 65, or by welding. A parallel offset horizontal surface 67 of the angle 61 is fastened to the tubular support 52 as by welding, but continues as a fiat plate surface into a latching bar 69, further slightly bent forward from the surface 67 at 85, sufficient to receive and brace a cooperating bracketing element 73. The bracketing element 73 is carried by the frame element 87 of side panel 84 (or frame 71 of side panel 88). A vertical groove .or slot 75 is cut between the bent latching bar 69 and the flat bracketing plate element 67.

The cooperating latching element 73 has a corresponding flat bracketing element 77 fastened to the framing element 87 by rivet 79 (or by welding) and has a corresponding latching bar 81 similarly bent forward by a slight obtuse angle bend 83 (FIG. 9). The bar 81 similarly is separated from the latching plate 77 by a notched or slotted portion 89 of the same size and shape as slotted portion 75 of bracket 57, but it is cut upward from the'lower surface so that the two latching bars 81 and 69 interlock through slotted portions 75 and 89, the latching bars resting or nesting one interlocked with the other. In this manner the panels are easily latched one onto the next by interlacing their slotted portions 75 and 89 as shown in FIG. 10, with the locking bars 81 and 69 lying parallel to each other in locked position as shown in FIG. 11. The former bent portion 83 is at such obtuse angle as to allow the panel member 84 and 56 to be supported as a side panel element, as

shown in FIGS. 1 and 2, or FIGS. 6 and 7. In this position the locking bar 81 lies flat against the plate 67 and the locking bar 69 lies flat against the plate 77 as shown in FIG. 9. The contiguous bar surface 69 braces the rear surface of the plate 77, while the corresponding surface of the locking bar 81 braces the rear surface of the plate 67 against which they respectively lie, thus preventing widening of the obtuse angle selected as the best exhibitable position for the side panels 56 with re- .spect to center panel 84, this bracket construction preventing rearward displacement from the selected angle of the side panel with respect to the central panel, but at. the same time allowing substantial forward, folding movement; that is, forward movement from the selected normal exhibitor position, thus imparting a smaller, less obtuse forward angle of the side panel, if desired. Such forward bending movement of the side panel, however, may also be used for releasing the locking brackets 51 and 73 from frictional gripping or engagement with each other, whereby the side panel 84 is then easily removed from the assembly. Such removal is effected by first simply moving the side panel 84 forward of the assembly slightlyto allow frictional disengagement of bar 81 from the plate 67, and bar 69 from the plate 77, and then completing the unlatcbingby vertical movement of the panel 84, its frame and bracketing element '73 thereon, whereby the panel is easily separated from its assembly.

In a modification shown in FIGS. 6 and 7, much larger side panels 8% may be mounted within frames 0, and these need not be so elongated as the panels 84, but one lower side panel 88 may be of the same height as the lower central panel 55 and an upper side panel 33 may be of the same height as the upper central panel 64. The panel 88 can be much wider than the side panel 84, and may even be as wide, more or less, as the central panels 64- and 55. These side panels can be similarly supported to the adjoining frame portion by pins 86 similarly fitted in brackets 54 as shown in FIG. 4. However, because of the greater width, additional pins d2 are provided upon the outer frame portion of the panels 88. These outer pins 92. are inserted in angular iron bracket elements 54 as shown in FIGS. 4 and 5 and described above, except that the outer portion needing support for the wider panel has extra tubes 94 provided with similar sections interfitted with the same fric tional joints. Tubes 94 are also each provided with a lower foot portion 95 which forms a continuous support nesting for the tubes Q4 all the way to the ground or floor, extending the same distance down as the legs 42. In that manner, ground support is provided for the outer panels 88 when they are much wider and need such support while the central panels 56 and 64 are supported by tubes 52 and 55 interfitted within the holes 58 of the carrying case It as described above.

A demountable brace 98 as in FIG. 3 or a grid type brace 119 as alternately illustrated and described in FIG. 6 is provided for the legs 42 wherein, for example as shown in FIGS. 6 and 9 a pair of rod-like wickets have their ends inserted in a hole 112, cut and pressed inward of the tubular leg 42, a short distance above the ground in each leg as in FIG. 9, or merely bored into the leg at 196, as shown in FIG. 3. The side panels of FIGS. 6 and 7 can also be secured to the center panels by the same kind of brackets shown in FIGS. 9, l0 and 11. The loops of each wicket 98 are welded or brazed to each other, thus forming a secure brace for each of the legs 42. As is obvious, the wicket 98 will be easily removed for dismantling pulling the spring-like rods out of the holes 169 or 112 and reinser-ting them for assembling.

Each of the elements comprising the exhibitor are easily taken apart in the dismantling as shown in FIGS. 3 or 7. Each of the elements is sized to fit within the carrying case 19 which is large enough to house the entire assembly in knock-down form.

While the exhibitor knocked down and stored in the carrying case is handily portable, nevertheless it may be uncomfortable to carry it long distances, particularly when it comprises additional side paneling and tube sup port elements as shown in FIGS. 6 and 7. For this purpose a caddie is provided with a pair of wire rod bracing arms bent into horizontal and vertical loops each to support a lower end of the carrying case it and separated by spacer rods, all mounted upon wheels which receive and support the carrying case on the wheels to impart quick mountable and removable portability. Such caddie construction is shown in FIGS. 13 and 14. The caddie comprises a pair of strong sheet metal straps 122 having their outer edges 123 bent around longitudinally extending rod supports of the loop, gripping the same frictionally in a sliding fit on the rods. A lower strap element 125 is riveted by rivets 123 to the upper strap element 122 and bent at 121 to additional support rigidity to the strap. A pair of spacer rods 12% are frictionally and slidably mounted in the bend 121 between the straps. With this construction, the size, that is the distance separating the vertical support arms of the loops 118 from each other, a distance slidable to fit about the ends of the carrying case iii is provided with adjustability by sliding the horizontal loop 118 to a selected fit distance within the ends 123 of the straps to adjust the spacing of said carrying case embracing loops 118 from each other. Additional sliding adjustment of such spacing is avialable by the adjustment of the position of spacer rods 12b in their frictional supporting ear positions in the bends 121 in the straps. In this manner the total length of the caddie, both by sliding adjustment of the spacer rods 12% in the strap elements 122 and 126, and by the sliding adjustment of the arms 11?) in the lateral strap ends 123, allows the proper dimensioning by adjustment of the caddie to fit variously sized carrying cases. The strap elements 126 and 128 further support castors and wheels 124 for rolling a caddie with the carrying case thereon for easy and adjusted portability. The strap elements 126 and 128 with the supporting wires 118 secured thereto may be sized to a width to fit within a carrying case as desired, so that the entire caddie may be mounted within the carrying case 1%).

In the modification shown in FIG. 15, the central longitudinal spacer rod elements 12% have each of their 0pposite ends 121 loosely bent around the loop inner ends of the horizontal loops 113'. This allows an entire end rod loop of the caddie to fold centrally upon the ends 121' as a pivot as shown in the dotted line position of FIG. 15. While in this modification a certain amount of adjustability for size, available in the construction of FIG. 13 is sacrificed, there still remains substantial adjustability of the longitudinally extending side arms 118' which can slide frictionally for adjustment of their position within the bent over ends 123' of the straps 122.

Many advantages are present in this type of exhibitor. It has optimum strength while being rapidly assembled. It is quite strong to support the elements shown, as well as additional exhibiting material. For instance, the panels 56, 64, 84 or 38 may have numerous evenly spaced holes 114 into which small hooks may be inserted for support of additional exhibits, trays, baskets, and the like, and in which various materials may be filed such as pamphlets, handbills and various printed items or maps, pictures and the like, all hung upon the paneling. Moreover, the side panels may be placed at any desired angle with respect to the center panels for optimum cooperation therewith in the exhibiting of materials. Various types of illumination may be used. The assembly can be used as an adjunct for lecturing, for exhibiting as motion pictures, as a support for a screen or exhibiting of maps corresponding in form to the screen, or the screen 78 may be used as a blackboard upon which materials can be written and subsequently erased; or one or more panels 56, 64, etc. may be imperforate and of blackboard materials upon which writing may be applied with chalk or the like. The entire assembly may be provided with side clamps for use as an easel, as an artists tool upon which drawings may be mounted, or as a support for sculptoring materials while they are being modified by the workmen or exhibitor.

Certain modifications will occur to those skilled in the art and, accordingly, it is intended that the description given herein be regarded as exemplary and not limiting except as defined in the claims appended hereto.

We claim:

1. A knock-down portable exhibitor comprising a rigid carrying case having side panels and end walls adapted to portably house knocked-down exhibitor elements, demountable leg supports sized for storage within and for supporting the carrying case in assembled exhibitor position with the side panels disposed horizontally above said leg supports, stiffening grooves in at least the lower side panel of said carrying case shaped to receive and be supported by said leg supports for secure mounting of the carrying case in horizontal position, and fastening means removably securing the carrying case to said leg supports in said grooves.

2. A portable exhibitor comprising a carrying case adapted to house and store in knock-down position several exhibitor elements, said case having stiffening grooves in at least one side panel providing lateral stiffening support form a firm support for several exhibitor elements in assembled exhibitor position, having means for supporting the carrying case in horizontal position above the ground, at least one central panel exhibitor element mounted between supporting rods at each vertical side, and securing means in the horizontally supported carrying case cooperating with the supporting rods for demountably supporting at least the said central panel exhibitor element in vertically exposed position above said carrying case, the further improvement wherein the means for securing the extending ends of said rods comprises a pair of holes bored through the upper surface panel of said carrying case and complimentary fastening means mounted upon the opposite lower surface panel of said case cooperating with the rod ends, said fastening means and panel surface holes securely and demountably supporting said rods and central panel exhibitor element therebetween in vertical position upon said carrying case.

4. In a portable exhibitor comprising a carrying case adapted to house and store in knock-down position and form a firm support for several exhibitor elements in assembled exhibitor position having means for supporting the carrying case in horizontal position above the ground, at least one central panel exhibitor element mounted between supporting rods at each vertical side, and securing means in the horizontally supported carrying case cooperating with the supporting rods for demountably supporting at least the said central panel exhibitor element in vertically exposed position above said carrying case, the further improvement wherein the vertically supported rods are tubular, and have open upper ends in which are demountably supported additional tubular framing elements, each tubular pair having an exhibitor panel supported therebetween.

5.'In a portable exhibitor comprising a carrying case adapted to house and store in knock-down position and form a firm support for several exhibitor elements in assembled exhibitor position, having means for supporting the carrying case in horizontal position above the ground, at least one central panel exhibitor element mounted 'between sup-porting rods at each vertical side, and securing means inthe horizontally supported carrying case cooperating with the supporting rods for demountably supporting at least the said central panel exhibitor element in vertically exposed position above said carrying case, the further improvement wherein several exhibitor panels are supported adjacent to said central panel element assembled with cooperating tubular rods.

- 6. In a portable exhibitor comprising a carrying case adapted to house and store in knock-down position and form a firm support for several exhibitor elements in as sembled exhibitor position, having means for supporting the carrying case in horizontal position above the ground, at least one central panel exhibitor element mounted between supporting rodsat each vertical side, and securing means in the horizontally supported carrying case cooperating with the supporting rods for demountably supporting at least the said central panel exhibitor element in vertically exposed position above said carrying case, the further improvement wherein the upper horizontal panel surface of said carrying case has several grooves r 8 running approximately from side to side of said case, bracing and stiffening the said horizontal panel surface and providing additional exhibitor support.

7. in a portable exhibitor comprising a carrying case adapted to house and store in knock-down position and form a firm support for several exhibitor elements in assembled exhibitor position, having means for supporting the carrying case in horizontal position above the ground, at least one central panel exhibitor element mounted between supporting rods at each vertical side, and securing means in the horizontally supported carrying case cooperating with the supporting rods for demountably supporting at least the said central panel exhibitor element in vertically exposed position above said carrying case, the further improvement wherein the upper horizontal panel surface of said carrying case has several grooves running approximately from side to side of said case, bracing and stiffening the said horizontal panel surf-ace and providing additional exhibitor support, one of said grooves being adapted to enclose therein an illuminating means supported to direct'illuminat-ion upon the vertical panels thereof.

8. In a portable exhibitor com-prising a carrying case adapted to house and store in knock-down position and form a firm support for several exhibitor elements in assembled exhibitor position, having means for supporting the carrying case in horizontal position above the ground, at least one central panel exhibitor element mounted between supporting rods at each vertical side, and securing means in the horizontally supported carrying case cooperating with the supporting rods for demountably supporttween supporting rods at each vertical side, and securing means in the horizontally supported carrying case cooperating with the supporting rods for demountably supporting at least the said central panel exhibitor element in vertically exposed position above said carrying case, the further improvement wherein the vertical rod panel support elements support additional vertical side panels hinged thereto, each side panel element being of substantial width and having an additional vertical rod panel support element at an outer edge up from the ground as support.

10. In a portable exhibitor comprising a carrying case adapted to house and store in knock-down position and form a firm support for several exhibitor elements'in assembled exhibitor position, having means for supporting the carrying case in horizontal position above the ground, at least one central panel exhibitor element mounted between supporting rods at each vertical side, and securing means in the horizontally supported carrying case cooperating with thesupporting rods for demountably supporting at least the said central panel exhibitor element in vertically exposed position above said carrying case, the further improvenet having an exhibitor screen coiled on a spring tension roller, the assembly being supported across the upper end of the vertically supported paneling as a rollable' screen.

11. The device as defined in claim 10 wherein the rollable screen element is demountalble and removable from the top paneling for portable carriage within the rigid carrying case.

12. In a portable exhibitor comprising a carrying case adapted to house and store in knock-down position and form a firm support for several exhibitor elements in assembled exhibitor position, having means for supporting the carrying casein horizontal position above the ground, at least one central panel exhibitor element mounted between supporting rods at each vertical side, and securing means in the horizontally supported carrying case coopcrating with the supporting rods for demount-ably sup porting at least the said central panel exhibitor element in vertically exposed position above said carrying case, the further improvement wherein several panels are mounted vertically one above the other and supported by extended tubular rod sections from the top of said carrying case, said tubular rod elements being assembled by nesting end to end through frictional interfitting joints to form a continuing tube support for a side of several of said panels, the uppermost of said tubular rods continuing into a rodlike bracket supporting a U-shaped frame and panel therein at an angle forward of the vertical plane of the central exhibitor panel.

13. In a portable exhibitor, several later-ally contiguous exhibitor panels, tubular rods mounted along each vertical side of said panels and separating laterally dispgosed panels, said panels being demountably secured to each other and to the intermediate tubular support by a mating pair of locking brackets, said locking brackets each consisting of two plate elements, one fastened to one panel element and the other to a contiguous panel element and to a tubular rod therebetween, each plate carrying a vertical slot, one out about one half of the distance down from its top edge and the other about one half of the distance upward from the bottom edge for inter-locking engagement one with the other through the mating of their slotted port-ions, the outer plate area of each being bent cooperatively one with the other, to engage each other about one of said rods at an obtuse angle, whereby to allow a folding hinged movement in locked position in a forward direction of a vertical plane of said contiguously interlocked panels, but to brace and prevent hinged movement in a backward direction, opposite thereto.

References Cited by the Examiner UNITED STATES PATENTS 929,074 7/09 Brown 190-16 983,383 2/11 Manson 102 1,595,622 8/26 Sanborn 211-178 X 1,670,496 5/28 La Fontaine 19016 2,439,851 4/48 Higgins 23034 2,571,456 10/51 Kolln 28034 2,602,252 7/52 Shinn l9016 X 2,867,045 1/59 Millgate 40102 X 2,917,188 12/59 Menin 211-177 2,937,062 5/60 Kru-se 211177 X 2,944,678 7/ Grantham 211-177 2,947,5 84 8/ 60 Harris 40-125 CLAUDE A. LE ROY, Primary Examiner. 

1. A KNOCK-DOWN PORTABLE EXHIBITOR COMPRISING A RIGID CARRYING CASE HAVING SIDE PANELS AND END WALLS ADAPTED TO PORTABLY HOUSE KNOCKED-DOWN EXHIBITOR ELEMENTS, DEMOUNTABLE LEG SUPPORTS SIZED FOR STORAGE WITHIN AND FOR SUPPORTING THE CARRYING CASE IN ASSEMBLED EXHIBITOR POSITION WITH THE SIDE PANELS DISPOSED HORIZONTALLY ABOVE SAID LEG SUPPORTS, STIFFENING GROOVES IN AT LEAST THE LOWER SIDE PANEL OF SAID CARRYING CASE SHAPED TO RECEIVE AND BE SUPPORTED BY SAID LEG SUPPORTS FOR SECURE MOUNTING OF THE CARRYING CASE IN HORIZONTAL POSITION, AND FASTENING MEANS REMOVABLY SECURING THE CARRYING CASE TO SAID LEG SUPPRORTS IN SAID GROOVES. 